The formation of a multipolar world “is not going without complications,” as some countries are trying to provoke conflicts and contain growing rivals. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced this at the 18th BRICS summit, Kommersant reports.
According to him, a number of states are not ready to accept the changes taking place in the world system and continue to “think in colonial categories,” striving to “divide the world into a blooming garden and a wild jungle” and “live at someone else’s expense.” Putin did not specify which countries he was referring to.
“They are not ready to accept the changing reality and are trying in every way to contain growing rivals. Any means are being used, including tariff wars, illegal sanctions, economic dictates, blackmail, attempts to interfere in internal affairs, and simply brute force,” the Russian president said.
According to Putin, old hotbeds of tension are reopening and new conflicts are being provoked. As a result, he said, “the entire system of international relations is being disrupted,” and the effectiveness of a number of multilateral structures and institutions is decreasing.
The image of the “flowering garden” and the “jungle” mentioned by Putin was previously used by former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. In 2022, he compared Europe to a garden where there is political freedom, economic prosperity, and the pursuit of social equality, while calling the rest of the world a jungle.
Borrell's statements sparked outrage in the UAE, where they were described as racist. The former head of European diplomacy disagreed with that assessment, but apologized for his words.
